


Of Freedom's Pilot and Minerva's Standing

by Anonymous



Series: Gundam Seed Time Travel [1]
Category: Gundam & Related Fandoms, Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny
Genre: Gen, Military Messes, Political Messes, Post-Canon, Speculative
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 04:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20988503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: PLANT does not know what to do with Kira Yamato. They improvise.





	Of Freedom's Pilot and Minerva's Standing

Let it be said that it is not widespread knowledge just who the hell was nicknamed the Terror of ZAFT behind closed doors. That is to say, it is no close kept secret. Consequently, everyone knows.

There were multiple reasons for this, all of them political.

For one, PLANT was opposed to allow both Freedom and Justice to remain with Orb. Never mind actual tactical fact, the statistics of the Battle of Messiah showed quite clearly the military strength those two brought to the field. Said advantage, of course, was not (only) a result of individual skill, but of circumstances, support and superior tactics. ZAFT and PLANT’s Supreme Council knew this quite well, too. The public, however, was a different thing altogether.

Thanks to Chairman Durandal’s campaign, the battle had been broadcasted un-edited and in real time. And things stood that the Heroes of ZAFT, displayed and born during the Battle of Requiem, were beaten soundly by Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice (and the Archangel, but that was neither here nor there) respectively. The public did not understand the other factors working into that end result of complete defeat. Combined with the retreat of the ZAFT forces during the Second Battle of Orb, the PLANT citizens were unable to accept peace with Freedom and Justice both going back to Orb. One cannot lower weapons without trust.

For another, the Freedom has long since been a face of mystery, with hate and grudging respect both directed at it. Interest in it had never really completely waned even after the first war, and public opinion was a vain thing. Therefore should any official announcements have been made concerning it, particularly the pilot (because while the suit was a symbol it was the pilot who moved it) attention would have shifted away from the long winding effort for peace and security for nothing more than a momentary burst of entertainment. That said, however, the Freedom could not and should not be kept a secret forever and avoid public eye, especially due of its relations to Lady Lacus.

After the Eternal, it was the one unit that stood for the Lady. When asked about the face behind the Freedom, most people would frown in thought and eventually answer with Lady Lacus, however it wasn't as clear as with the Eternal or the Justice, or even the Archangel, which as a military ship was commonly enough aligned with Orb. The Freedom was different, for it stood at greater distance. Where the Freedom appeared, the Eternal and thus Lady Lacus were _not_ bound to appear behind. The connection was clear, yet too loose. What were the true allegiances of it? Though by some it was called the Knight of Lady Lacus, the reference was shaky at best.

The Freedom was a symbol, and its force was impossible to deny, yet without knowing the face behind it, the reason the Freedom moved, it was difficult to trust.

Secrets implied distrust and resentment.

Moreover, the Freedom was also a political tool. Hated or not, respected or not, the Freedom’s influence, power, presence or _whatever_ one would like to call it, could not be denied. Having it known that it was on the side of ZAFT after all these years could be laid out as a sign of peace, acceptance and compromise as well as a warning. Who would want to pick a fight with it? A boost to ZAFT’s bruised ego after the second war for the small and simple minds. Also, the knowledge of Freedom, its pilot, not being accounted for _again_ would breed disquiet, doubt, and a murmur of fear.

However, the Freedom also brought problems with it. With its history it had many enemies, plenty of them in ZAFT, enough of them hostile for personal reasons. Because the Freedom _had_ killed many Coordinators. A great deal too many at headquarters are...._unhappy_ with the pilot's presence.

Introducing the subject of those feelings with the hidden truths behind him to the public all at once, was decided, after a test-run of two months on the military, too troubling. Consequently the best method was to once again create some distance and to let the knowledge become well known as per rumor. The information briefly became classified so an introduction to the masses without fallout was possible after removing the very subject from reach. 

Here, the Minerva comes into the mix.

The Minerva was the Archangel equivalent of ZAFT, known for its splendid military record, Ace pilots, and Chairman Durandal’s favor. She was also originally, outside of Durandal’s master plan, intended for patrolling the moon’s orbit. Due to her connection to Durandal, she had fallen heavily out of favor within the military and political circles, and no one knew quite what to do with her.

The issues that could be closed by dealing with previously mentioned two matters together were numerous enough to try, and the promise of what it should amount to should the idea work out was too good to pass up.

Kira Yamato, pilot that he was, didn’t have much knowledge about taking command or responsibilities that weren’t directly tied to pulling a trigger of a mobile suit. Having never formally enlisted in any military either, he was also unfamiliar with standard protocols, the needs of subordinates, military procedures, and lacked other kinds of foundational conditioning. As he was a war hero and high ranking officer transferring from Orb, however, it wouldn’t do to not give him the rank of Commander. Not to mention that it would be a waste of military efficiency, as he was proven by two wars to be highly effective on the field. It also didn't help that everyone at military headquarters wanted the Freedom's pilot killed at one point or other. Or still do.

Following, the PLANT Supreme Council made a move that could be either unflatteringly described as gambling integrity, or as a brilliant act of integration. Kira Yamato was to be assigned to the Minerva, take it for routine patrol around the moon and then return to see how things stood then. 

.

.

.

.

Or maybe one simply wanted to reform two problems into one and then remove the resulting mess from sight and mind.

.

.

.

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End file.
